Family Ties
by zekator
Summary: its a four book long story of a father and a daughter who become vampires and their lives through the small beginnings of kains empire, to it's fall after raziels death. full of pain, sorrow, regret, and the simple things in life we commeny overlook.


Dedicated to my dad, who loves his children through pain, stress and the tortures of father hood.  
  
To dad.  
  
Yes, I thought you were made of money.  
  
No, I didn't know what the hell I was doing.  
  
Yes, I didn't think you owned the electric company  
  
So thanks for doing what you do and stopping me from getting in to the Clorox when I was little.  
  
So get your coffee and sit back and relax  
  
****************************************************** To all thought people out there that are over protective..  
  
All the characters in this story except for Niccolie and Karie are copyright of edieos and do not belong to me. As for the story If I messed up with the soul reaver time line, I am sorry I am not a know it all in the soul reaver area  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Family ties  
  
by the Zekator  
  
  
  
Book one  
  
Chapter one  
  
My name is Niccolie Lehethess II, but everyone calls me nick or Nicolas. I am a vampire of the Zephonim clan; I am first lieutenant to Zephon. But I was a man once like all vampires were once. I was a vampire hunter, and I was one of the best the vampire clans were just raising and slowly began to take over, I was a very well respected for the fearlessness I showed I in the heat of battle and also respected because I would do what ever I was told to do, often this type of loyalty can be hash when you are ordered to things that most people would not have dreamed in a war.  
  
Anyway this is my story of me and my angle, my little girl. Karie. And how we survived the worst. It's amazing how family can stay in touch. Even after being turned. I remember long ago when it all began. I was coming home one night from two months battling with the vampire scoured.  
  
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"DADDY!! DADDY!!" a little girl about five or six with dark black hair and beautiful green eyes, came running out of the house as Niccolie came down the dusty street to his home near the far end of the town.  
  
"KARIE!!" said Niccolie as he kneed to the ground to embrace his child  
  
He gave her a big huge and she lead him to the house.  
  
"Finally back, you said you would be in time for the winter festival" said his wife as he walked in to the house  
  
"The vampires have no heart to feel the need to rest, my dear" he said as he leand over and kissed her.  
  
"You were gone a really long time daddy." Said Karie with a worried look  
  
"I know Karie, that's why I brought a special gift for you"  
  
"Really what is it!?"  
  
He reached in to his bag and pulled out a necklace I bought at the northern market, a tight worn necklace with a bright blue gem in the middle.  
  
"Wow, it's beautiful"  
  
He bent down and put it around her neck, it fit perfectly.  
  
"She looks gordeous Nicolas"  
  
"Thank you so much daddy," she said giving him a kiss  
  
"The natives in the northern high lands call it a memory gem necklace, they say that when received the person who gave it to you will be with you always in your heart, so just remember when ever I am gone, I will be there, you may not see me but I will be there"  
  
"Wow" she said feeling over the gem with her hands.  
  
"Daddy, what was the northern high lands like?" Karie asked curiously  
  
"Well, it's cold, and the vampires are big and mean,"  
  
"Did you beat them up?" she asked in a curious tone  
  
"Well yes of course" he picked up Karie and set her on his lap.  
  
"One cold day, so cold not all the fires in the world could make you feel warm. Myself and five other men were sitting down having breakfast waiting for the main force to show up when we were attacked, about fifty of the vampire spawns came they were big twice the size of me. They came upon us, we pulled our swords, but they came up to us and start slashing and thrashing like mad men. Your father pulled his sword and yelled 'charge' and that we did I fought my way through the vampire taking down any vampire who dared put foot in front of me, Until the leader came. He was huge about the size of this house, and I looked at him and said 'you dare challenge me?'" Karie laughed and his wife nodded her head in disbelief "and he charged me and missed with his first blow and I ran behind him and gave him a poke in the buttocks left cheek, then he spun around eyes glowing red with anger and charged again and I ran underneath his legs and poked his other cheek. This time he spun around madder then ever and charged me and I stood my ground and gave him the stab straight through him it when. The battle field when quite, then the big one fell to the ground, and I said 'who's next' the vampire was scared and ran as fast as their undead legs could carry them."  
  
"Wow, daddy you really showed them!!!"  
  
"Yes, but now that I am back I want do some thing far more challenging then fighting hundred of vampires with a butter knife and fork"  
  
"Wow, what could that be?!?!" she said in amazement  
  
"Fishing, as of tomorrow you and I are going to catch us some fish the size of whales"  
  
"Really!!"  
  
"Yep, but you need to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a big day for us.  
  
"Ok, daddy, good night!!" she gave him a huge "I am glad your back daddy"  
  
She ran to bed and his wife went to tuck her in, and came back out to sit at the table with him.  
  
"Five men?"  
  
"Actually fifteen"  
  
"The size of this house?"  
  
"Alright about the size of outhouse*  
  
"That's still big, these things seem to get bigger the longer you stay away"  
  
"They were Turelim, they are the big ones of the vampires unlike the razileim to the west, who happen to be much harder to kill. But they are as slow as cows"  
  
"Did I tell you what our darling daughter did two weeks ago"?  
  
"What did she do?"  
  
"You know the bullies at the church school she always complains about are picking on her,"  
  
"The Anderson kids?"  
  
"Yeah, she punched one and broke her nose and was about to do the same if the father Homen did not stop her, she has your battle field spirit"  
  
"That scares me"  
  
"Oh, something actually scares the all mighty Niccolie"  
  
"The bed time stories are nothing like the real thing, there's blood, guts and far more then just running around stabbing people"  
  
His wife walked in to the kitchen and he followed her  
  
"Nicolas, she has so much of you in her, it's impossible for her not to become a vampire slayer"  
  
He put his hands around her  
  
"She as me in her inside but, you on the outside"  
  
"What's that supposed mean?"  
  
"Lets just say every vampire will be to distarcted with her beauty to fight back."  
  
"Oh Niccolie", she says with a sigh.  
  
"Yeah, she love it with all boys leaving all kinds of presents at her door step"  
  
The two laughed in each other's arms. The night's sleep came and left in a blink of an eye.  
  
The next day  
  
"Karie, you got the hooks?"  
  
"Yeah, daddy" she said giving him a small cup with lots of hooks in them.  
  
He packed up his sword, up with some of his throwing knifes and they started off for the small creek about a one miles and a half from the town. It took them a short time to get there and by late morning they were casting their polls in the water.  
  
"Hay, daddy what was the biggest vampire you ever beat?"  
  
"Probably one that Turelim I told you about last night"  
  
"He didn't sound that hard to beat" she said disappointed  
  
"Well it's not always about size, smaller and older vampires are hard to beat because they are fast and experienced"  
  
"Ok, what was the hardest vampire you had to beat"?  
  
"Probably, it was this one Razileim that was a second lieutenant or a third, I can't remember, he was so fast and smart he out smarted me a few times and it took me a number of time before I actually defeated him."  
  
"Wow, smarter then you!"  
  
"No, I just wasn't thinking very well, pressure and stuff"  
  
The two sat with their backs to their equipment and their feet in the water, they did not notice the hands reach in to their bag and take the sword and throwing knifes.  
  
"What was the worst battle you were ever in?"  
  
"The one he is about to be in," said a sinister voice behind them.  
  
Niccolie jumped to his feet  
  
There in front of him was Zephon with two other vampires holding his weapons.  
  
"Niccolie, the fisher man, I must say you have very strange hobbies for some one who does such a dirty work"  
  
"What is this, can't a man get any peace from you monsters" Niccolie yelled at them.  
  
"No, unfortunately you can't, I have some plans for you"  
  
Niccolie bent down as if to coax his daughter and picked up a rock and he stood up again, looking bolder then before.  
  
"You will regret the day you did this blood sucker"  
  
"You know you may be right, but what I'm seeing looks a lot more good then bad"  
  
Niccolie lashed out and threw the rock at the closest vampire who was blocking the road.  
  
"KARIE!! RUN HOME AS FAST AS YOU CAN AND WHAT EVER YOU DO DON'T LOOK BACK!!!" Niccolie screamed at her as he block the vampires from getting in her way.  
  
"Daddy, what about you!!!" she said with tears in her eyes  
  
"DON'T WORRY, JUST GO BE FORE IT IS TOO LATE"  
  
She paused for a seconded and then ran as fast as he could down the road to the town. Zephon watched her go with out moving a muscle. The vampire that was hit by the rock got up holding his eye.  
  
"As I was saying," Zephon continued, as Niccolie stood firm like he was ready for an attack. "Your history is very interesting, and if you reputation is true then I want you"  
  
"To be my fourth lieutenant"  
  
"Never, you will never have my services"  
  
"That's what you think, by the way, your daughter will never get to the town fast enough, and I think you know that"  
  
"Not if I can help it"  
  
"Yes you can, you become my lieutenant and we will leave her be"  
  
"I will n."Niccolie began  
  
"Find then," Zephon interrupted his eye browns going cross "I will kill you, kill your wife, capture you daughter make her my slave and torment her for the rest of her little life on the horrible things her daddy did while he was at war with us, like that time you cut out that cowards eyes and hanged him up for display at the Togmen hall. And when the time comes for her to die I will turn her into one of my own and continue with my torturing until I die or she is killed by a vampire slayer"  
  
Niccolie brought down his arms and loomed his head.  
  
"Or you could just be my lieutenant, they can make believe you are dead and go on living their lives"  
  
Niccolie looked up with tears in his eyes  
  
"You swear you won't let any one touch them so long as they live"  
  
"I could just allow you to watch them allowing you to keep your memory of your first life"  
  
"I find this to be the most sinful thing on earth," Niccolie said with a tear running down his cheek  
  
"I accept your offer"  
  
"Good, now you must come with me to my home for transformation"  
  
Niccolie was bound and thrown in to a horse drawn carriage that Zephon had hid not far from were they fished. He was placed in the seat across from Zephon, the in side of the carriage was dark and the sound of four other horses ran along side of them. He could not see most of the way there but somewhere along there they stopped and a woman entered the carriage.  
  
Then they began to move again in the same direction.  
  
"Thank you kind sir for giving me a ride," she said  
  
"The pleasures all mine"  
  
"Why is it so dark"  
  
"The sun hurts my eyes"  
  
"Why does it..Muff!!! Muff!! Mmmmmfffffff!!!!" she was muffed by his hand. Niccolie could here his fangs stab in to her as she screamed in to his hand and violently tried to shake free of his grasp.  
  
A few minutes later she stopped moving and her screams were no more then just deep breathes of pain. At this point zephon removed his hand and began to feed. Her labored breaths and painful moans soon die to nothing.  
  
The sounds made Niccolie sick and he tried to think about some thing else. He thought about his wife and his child, would this monster truly do what he said, or would he lie and make him forget his loved ones, he felt sorry for what he had got Karie in to and how she would never again see her father again, nor would his wife feel his warm embrace, all he would be able to do is watch them as they lived a life with out him.  
  
The carriage stopped, zephon got out and then they pulled him out. They had brought him to a cave mouth near one of the big eastern mountains.  
  
"Welcome home" zephon said  
  
"You live in a cave?" Niccolie said in disappoint men  
  
"So it not Raziel's large cities or Dumah's castles but it's temporary, and some day in the near future we will find a home that will show how great we zephonim are!!"  
  
" And were is that, the local pig farm"  
  
"No, some where like the great mlake hall or one of your great cities like the city of Stahlberg "  
  
Niccolie busted out laughing.  
  
"You vampire are a lot more stupider then I originally thought"  
  
"Go ahead, laugh. But one day we will have a home for our great statue, and then we will see who's laughing, " Zephon said angrily.  
  
"I will want to see it when it happens"  
  
"Yes, some day you will help us take it."  
  
The cave was more then it seamed, once in side there were a series of empty tunnels that were man made it looked like an underground mansion. They walked Niccolie to a room that was far away from the other rooms in the mansion. They entered the room and then.  
  
Chapter two  
  
I don't remember what happened after that, next thing I new I was on my back in the same room on the stone table, my stomach hurt and I had a strange feeling in me, I got up and looked at my self, I was naked and I was pale white, my hair that daggled from my head felt like it was not a part of me. I don't know how to explain it, it was like your five senses were dulled like they were missing some parts. I got up, Walked around the room, stumbling as I went like I forgot how to walk. I banged on the door and a...um.. Another one like me answered the door, I could feel it. He left quickly and came back with Zephon. They rapped me in a blanket and lead me to my room. My room as I said when I entered it my old weapons of choice were on the table and black dragon skin armor was on the bed. Funny when I looked at the bed I did not feel the least bit of sleep in my system, I hear that vampire don't sleep then why did I have a bed?  
  
I put on the armor and weapons. My weapons fit exactly were they were supposed to. The throwing knives in the leg slits, the sword to my back slot and two daggers up each sleeve I looked in the mirror and found I looked good, then just out of random I walked closer to it and pulled up my lips, there nestled between my incisors and molar teeth were my fangs they grew to a little shorter then a inch so that about one fourth of it grew passed my other teeth. I closed my mouth, this ment I would have to kill for food, and I would have to drink blood.  
  
I left my room and zephon lead me to a room with gutter system running though it, which carried blood.  
  
"As one of us you must drink or that pain in your stomach will grow worse until you go crazy and eventually die." Zephon took a cup dipped it in to the gutter and gave it to me. At first I was hesitant then some thing deep in side of me made it look appealing I took the cup and licked the blood dripping off of it. It was good like fresh cold water except it tasted better warm. I gulped the cup down the pain in my stomach seemed to dull. I asked for another and then another I did not stop till I was on my fourth when I could not drink anymore.  
  
Zephon laughed and he and the others lead me to the "work room" It was big. It had a large desk which papers were scattered on and picture of lot of different things in one area of the room was tons and tons of drawing and sketches of various inventions of plans for inventions.  
  
He sat me down in a chair and began taking about the dangers to the vampire body in a big scientific way. Most of this I new, hell I killed vampires. I new what killed them, in fact I used some of these weaknesses to torture them for information often. Most of the times on where they had their hidden bases. Water is the worst, next to sunlight and fire. And much of this I did not listen to.  
  
".So stay out of the sun light and stay in the shade and wear a hood if you stay in the sunlight too long you will begin to decay in a very painful way. And never ever say where you came from to any one always say some thing like I come from the far northern high lands since no one has been there they most often don't know that the people look like there. And when ever you feed on somebody always hide the body, we don't want anyone to know we are here."  
  
"Why did you make me your lieutenant?" I asked interrupting him.  
  
Zephon seemed shocked at the question.  
  
"Well unlike my other brethren I am smart, I know that this war with the humans will die. One day and it will be just us, Vampire and vampire."  
  
" Impossible and even if it does come true. it is still far far away"  
  
"Yes, but now I have a smart experienced lieutenant other then just some slave I hand picked to make my first born. I go for the best, some one who knows how the vampire slayer works; all my lieutenants were once vampire slayers. Although most don't know that, except for you. And that concerns me."  
  
"Why"  
  
"Well, now that you are a vampire you may think of killing me, lost of loyalty now that you may think you could avenge what I have done to you. But let me warn you if I die from your hands I have some special orders for some of my men to be carried out. I bet you know what they are."  
  
"Yeah, I think I know, but if so why did you let me remember my past"  
  
"Well, if I killed you with such a strong bond to your family, you would not work most effectively as the others and all that time I wasted on studying you would be wasted"  
  
"Fine then, now that I am a vampire. My life is lost, I have no where to go but watch my past, leave my old family alone and I will except you as my new family, I may not like it but I will live it." I said finally giving in to him.  
  
"I believe what you say, but still I will keep my special orders for my men, just in case."  
  
"Fine"  
  
"Ok, then my orders for you is to."  
  
"I want to see my family first" I interrupted him.  
  
"Fine you may see them on your way there. Your orders are to scout out the plains for vampire slayer movement. Since you know were all of them move you will know were to look," he walked up to a table, which had lots of strange inventions and stuff.  
  
"Here" he said handing men a strange object "it's call a binoculars for seeing a good healthy distance away, I wouldn't want to find you dead in thought field now would I"  
  
"How do they work?"  
  
"You put these small circles to your eyes, and look in the right direction"  
  
He grabbed a paper from his desk and handed it too me, it was a map of the county side, and then he handed me a red ink feather pen.  
  
"When you get there you mark the trails they are moving on and then return it to me."  
  
"By carriage, too night when it is dark you and I will head to the city and get some slaves as well as a horse and some other clothing, men and stuff."  
  
The lead me to the carriage and I got in.  
  
He handed me a leather hood and cape.  
  
"Wear it if your skin starts to burn" he said closing the door.  
  
It was dark, but I could see clear a day light, some ware during the ride. Told the driver to stop. I got out the sun seemed twenty times hotter then before, and it made my skin sizzle a bit. I tuned to the drive. He was different. He was not a vampire.  
  
"Are you a vampire?" I asked him doubting my instinct.  
  
"No, I am a human" he answered  
  
"Slave?"  
  
"No, I give my services for no reason but to serve the higher powers"  
  
"You will serve us because we are stronger?"  
  
"I am gratefully sorry if I angered you sir"  
  
"No, I'm fine, I was just wondering"  
  
"You should not stay in the sun to long"  
  
"Yeah, I want you to stop at the town that is the closest to the fishing creek" I said as I got in.  
  
"Yes, sir"  
  
Some time later we stopped,  
  
"We are here sir"  
  
I looked out of the carriage, the town was quite but there were still a lot of people wandering around, some I knew.  
  
"Go down one of the back roads to the grave yard " I said.  
  
I did not want to be noticed, and the graveyard was as close as I would get to my house.  
  
Once we stopped again I looked out again, there was a fresh grave next to my fathers, label Niccolie Lehethess II, may he rest in piece.  
  
"Umm.servant.... uh. what's your name?"  
  
"It's Marcus"  
  
"Marcus, go ask some one how long has Niccolie been dead." I said getting out of the carriage and putting on the hood, he left and I walked in to the graveyard and kneeled next to my father's grave.  
  
"Forgive Me," I whispered to it.  
  
Then I got up, and walked behind the graveyard and through the orchard of olive trees that lead to behind my house. I hid behind one as I got closer to my home and peered over it. I saw them through the open window  
  
My wife was holding Karie in her arms and stroking her hair, it seemed as if she was dead but then she let out a cry.  
  
"They are morning my death" I thought and decided to let them be, all I care was that they were alive. I moved through the olive trees back to the grave yard, I suddenly noticed some thing I didn't before, I moved a lot more fast then before. Almost. Twice .three time my original speed. I guess there are some advantages being a vampire.  
  
Chapter three  
  
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I leaped over the fence to the graveyard and walked up to the carriage. Marcus came running up to me.  
  
"Sir, they say Niccolie has been dead for about a week." He said hurrying in to the driver seat.  
  
A week, I must have been out for a long time. I got in a looked at the map I was given. It was hand sketched and had the north east west compass at one side and an X mark for were the cave was. The area I was to scout was a wide plain area with a road that lead in to the forest that lead to my home town going south. When I was a vampire slayer we would use these trails to avoided an ambush. The common roads were often swarming with vampires that attacked travelers and trade caravans. A present time vampire only popped up at random in this area and you had a greater chance of getting attacked by a lone werewolf then a vampire, or so we thought, but the areas to the north and west had a much greater vampire problem. They had taken over those areas and most slayers left their family here the safest place form the vampires. But we felt it necessary to eradicate the vampire scourge, to our oath to William the Just, and so far we have managed to keep them far from the more powerful cities of Nosgoth. William the Just would have been proud. But now that I am on the inside I see why there were so few vampire attacked corpse, they must have disposed of the corpse before we had the chance to discover it. The ones I killed were only 1 remote location, like the northern hinterlands and the far west mountains. This I thought must had been a distraction so that they could breed in these better more populated areas. A very cleaver strategy and I guess once the vampires have gathered enough of their kind they would wage a war and truly take down humanity. I did not know how right was.  
  
The carriage stopped and Marcus told me we were here.  
  
I stepped out; the sun still had the sizzling effect. I walked out in to the sun and rapped the hood and cloak around me. I sat down on a mall hill over looking the field; I looked about the field, the sun made me squint my eyes, which did not help my search. I pulled out the map and the strange invention that Zephon called "binoculars". I put the map on my lap and looked out across the field with the binoculars, they were amazing the doubled my sight so I could see every thing in view. I scanned across the field with them, nothing.  
  
I sat there for what seemed like forever just scanning the field for any thing unnatural. Finally then on the woods at the far end of the plain were it turned in to heavy tree growth, I saw a glint.  
  
I put the binoculars to my eye, then out of the forest one. two.three.five six!! Six of them, they trotted out in their silver armor and white horses. They were going out to battle, their spears long and sharp, buckled next to them like flag polls.  
  
I marked on the map were I saw them. Then I told Marcus to meet up with me near white wood town, the place I assumed they were headed, if I did not return it meant I was killed or captured.  
  
Then I followed them by foot, I took me all day I scurried across the country side after them, always dodging behind brush to hide myself from their view.  
  
I had tracked them from the field to eight or nine miles up; it was obvious they were headed to white wood. But something I was not expecting came up; my hunger had grown during the time of following them. At first I did not notice it, but that pain had come, and my mouth grew dry and hungry for blood. It was getting dark by the time I got to white wood, the pain in my stomach seemed to me to be a cramped organ. Bearded the pain and walked in to the town. I searched the town for Marcus, which I found by the stables giving the horses food. A vampire hunter suddenly walked their horse into the stable. I looked at Marcus who looked at me in the same fashion.  
  
I jerked my head to the left toward the carriage and he quickly got in to the drivers seat. I jumped into the back and we were off slowly at first as we exited the town and sped off as we past the gates  
  
Chapter four  
  
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We were riding full speed until the houses gave out. Then we just maintained as trot till we got to the cave. Zephon was waiting out front.  
  
"At first I thought you failed me." He said as I got out.  
  
I handed him the map, and then the binoculars. He had a wine bottle of blood, which he gave to me.  
  
"Good," he said to me then he turned to Marcus. "Change the horses we must leave to the city"  
  
"The city?" I asked as Marcus changed the horses  
  
"The city is were most of our people are, you know the places we have 'infested' as you may recall"  
  
Yes, the places were the population was almost all vampires, the places they controlled.  
  
"So, you say this is not you true home"  
  
"No, this is a base some place we can stay when we are traveling, or a place we can stay to research the surrounding area, it's like a undercover colony. You see my point"  
  
I nodded as Marcus put another pair of horses in the rheas  
  
Siphoned got in and I followed two other vampires traveled on horses back behind us.  
  
For a long time it was quiet, then finally zephon broke the silence.  
  
"So what do you think about being a vampire?" he asked  
  
"It's is interesting and depressing"  
  
"Still not used to it? You will come along eventually you see it is just how you like your vampire life."  
  
"Explain to me about the rules of being a vampire" I asked just to change the subject.  
  
"Well, there are no rules, just what we would most likely suggest for your and our safety"  
  
"What's that"?  
  
"Well, would like it that if you plan on feeding that you kill the food source rather then let it live, and make sure you get rid of the body, we would not want a whole town searching the country side for us, just because they found a body with holes in it's neck, or because a servant girl claimed she was bitten."  
  
"What if we don't want to kill the food source"?  
  
"Well, you run a risk for every one vampire that is in the area. Like I would not do that here, they think the vampires are way over in the north and east. We can walk around freely with out having a whole bunch of people running around screaming 'vampire' at every person that walks in to your town"  
  
"What about me, my death was a cause of vampires, why have they not scanned the country side for you"  
  
"You, were not killed by vampire my friend, you were killed by a band of robbers, they took your money and your fishing stuff, then burned your body, which could not be truly Identified, except for the weddding ring that you wore."  
  
I looked a my hand to find my ring was indeed gone  
  
"And what about my daughter?"  
  
"She speaks profanities, her daddy was killed by a vampire, but everyone knows vampires aren't here. They are in the north and east and they certainly don't play with fire."  
  
I sat back, crossed my arms and went cold, I was erased, I was no longer who I was, and no one even knew my true fate.  
  
"So why did you need me, certainty not for tracing slayers because I once was one."  
  
"Have you herd of the vampire Kain?"  
  
"I have herd rumors, he's supposed to be some kind of king vampire"  
  
"That he is, kain is my father, like I am yours, he was the last vampire after the execution of Vorador, me made six other vampire to help him build an army and take out the humans. Six, Raziel, he owns the clan to the west I believe you have fought some battles with his children, Turel, to the north, I am sure you know him. Dumah, you have not had the opportunity to fight one of his before, Rahab, you also don't know him, then me, you are of me, the zephonim, then finally Malchiah who you also don't know. As you see I am the second to the last born, as you could probably guess I lack recognition, even after I have managed to make all my lieutenants out of past great vampire hunters, but my father still ignores me, then I saw you, and the brutal things you have done. If I had someone that would represent me at a meeting like you, knowing what you have done in the past they would recognize me as." he said waiting for a answer  
  
".A very brutal, and dangerous person"  
  
"Yes, and that is what my father would like to see. Someone who can push his weight around and show no fear"  
  
"But, there is a big thick line between being and having. Having me as a representative doesn't make you any better or worse, it just makes you less scared to show up at meetings"  
  
Zephon seemed to go dead silent; he sat back in his seat and let out a deep sigh  
  
"All my life as a vampire I have been ignored, like I was the trouble maker of the family, like I would amount to no good. Raziel always got attention, Turel and Dumah too. Rahab was not ignored, but neither had he recognition, he was just respected. And Melchiah, Melchiah got kains pity and was always watched on. I was ignored, like I was not important, just there. I never got an order that would bring recognition or glory; I guess I just try to hard to prove myself. And often making bad mistakes along the way."  
  
He made another sigh.  
  
"And I guess it made me weak, I no longer have the power to stand on my own feet any more"  
  
"Doesn't mean you can't get any stronger"  
  
He looked up at me.  
  
"I can tell that you will make one fine lieutenant, Niccolie, a friend to."  
  
"Maybe, but I don't think I will ever forgive you for what you have done"  
  
"I don't expect to be forgiven, you must have loved your daughter a great deal to take on such a horrible fate."  
  
"I love her more then anything else, even myself,"  
  
"That kind of love is the strongest, it can never be broken, even if you are of some other creature." He looked out the window.  
  
"It is going to be a long ride, we will get there a couple hours till morning and rest there till tomorrow night were we will travel back."  
  
"What exactly are we head there for?"  
  
"To supply you, we will get you some slaves to take care of your base, that place in which we have left will be in your control as soon as you feel you can run it."  
  
"I will be in charge of that hole in the ground?"  
  
"Yes, that 'hole in the ground' will be the place that you will live at and dispatch orders from. You will tell the vampires that are there what to do and you will spy on the vampire slayers trails and give me information on every thing that happens there, until you come to a meeting were I may give you special orders."  
  
"So I will run it, like a house hold"  
  
"Yes, and like a base of operations too, it will be all yours. But you need to pick slaves to do the household work, and if you want a personal slave to do special jobs or just have for company. Then you will pick some, men to work you operation,"  
  
"What is my operation?"  
  
"To track and follow the vampire slayers and were they are going and also to keep the people in the towns around your area secure as in they think it's impossible to find a vampire within a hundred miles, I want the people of this land to walk out in to the night without a worry of being attacked. In other words you don't exist"  
  
"And how do I do all that?"  
  
"Well, don't kill your food in your land go and have men bring it to you, or have a good stock pile of slaves that can be used for blood. And always if accused of being a vampire make up a really good lie, most of the people think that vampires will burn up in sun light, instantly to over a period of time. So just flip off your hood and say you're not a vampire. That works the best"  
  
"Hum.I actually think that people would not believe I am alive if I did that. I am probably a historical figure by now"  
  
"Well then change your look or don't go out."  
  
"I won't change my look, I will forget who I a." I paused to rephrase my words ".who I was."  
  
  
  
Captor five  
  
***************************************************  
  
The ride was long and we had talked most of the way, I had come to realize that Zephon was a desperate soul, his clan was smaller then the others. The youngest, he had spent more time researching and inventing things then actually making more of his kind, but his intelligence was amazing he had a reason for every thing and hundreds of projects that he claimed "would make my clan great" he had many brave ideas that amazed me, he was much more of a thinker then of a worrier. I also learned a lot about the vampire's view of Vorador, who I had viewed as the seed off all that, is evil. And I was educated much one the life of a vampire.  
  
"When we get there I will need you to take a short training session, to make you more aware of your vampire advantages in a battle. They will be held during the day, tomorrow indoors."  
  
"Hump.I will look forwarded to it,"  
  
"You can also have armor and weapons made for you, of your own design even."  
  
"Good, this sword to heavy, what is it made"  
  
"Black iron"  
  
"The sword is too big for that kind of metal"  
  
"We vampires are stronger then the humans"  
  
"Strength, does not matter it depends on who gets the first thrust in"  
  
"Hummm...you have a point"  
  
"I will look around this city for a smith that will make a more customized weapons for me"  
  
"Well rest, there are only so many hours in a day"  
  
"Yes, sleep, that is something I feel no need for"  
  
"Sleep, is for the living, but rest is needed to think clearly, to cool off, to stop with the tortures of daily life. That is rest."  
  
"Then why did I see a bed in my room?"  
  
"Well, we will need to put you somewhere to recover from your injuries, and if you want you can sleep but you have no real need for it."  
  
The carriage stopped, and Marcus called out.  
  
"We have arrived master"  
  
"Good"  
  
Zephon stepped outside and then me. We had driven up to a wall with too big doors. Other vampire scurried around us, the two other vampires got off their horses and two others grabbed them and took them away. The big doors creaked open and the smell of blood passed my nose.  
  
It was an entire market place, all fewer than one roof, it was a huge camber all built of stone, but despite the market places appearance. It had little to offer as I walked with zephon, the room grew silent were ever he went and vampires old and young gave a small bow to him. We passed through the market without making one stop and he led me to another door, which lead to an outside market.  
  
This market had black smiths all to one side and the other had hundreds of stalls that horses occupied. Zephon lead me to one of the black smiths booths. A vampire stepped forward and bowed as he came.  
  
"This is Killian, best black smith in the city, if you can draw it he can make it."  
  
I turned to him, he was a big fellow looked much like a Turelim  
  
"I want to make a sword out of a light but strong material, probably hardened steel."  
  
He looked at me for a moment and looked to Zephon who was laughing hysterically.  
  
"He can't understand you," he said through his laughing  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because he's deaf, he can't hear. You must draw it"  
  
Killian grabbed a sheet off paper and a black chalk and handed it to me.  
  
Not knowing what to do, I took the paper and drew how I wanted the sword to be, about three and a half feet long and made of light black steel, I handed it to him and he went "ash" with out saying any thing. Then he left us and zephon took me to the stalls.  
  
I had been a long time since I had a horse of my own, I dumped my old one once Karie was born, and it was feed one or the other. After looking thought the countless isles of horses I finally found her, a black stallion still young. That was good I felt it important to bond with horses at a young age. Then I asked zephon if I could ride her, he said he would have to find the owner, so he left.  
  
"Hay there" I said to the horse  
  
She seemed to be tense, I petted her on the nose and she seemed to calm down. But then as some people passed she got tense again.  
  
Zephon came back with a rather small vampire. He walked up to me.  
  
"You can ride her, but if she gets away you pay for her" he said in an irritable voice.  
  
"Fine" I said opening up the stall. I walked in slowly she went to the back of the stall and reared up throwing her front feet at me. I stopped and she stopped, then I approached her slowly speaking softly to her. I slipped the rains on her and asked Zephon for a settle which he gave to me after a loud argument with the owner. I slipped it on her and patted it. Then slowly got on. Amazingly she did not move a muscle.  
  
"Ok, lets go" I said. She didn't move.  
  
"Ok, let's go now" she stood as quite as a rock  
  
"Nice test ride" said the owner with a mocking laugh  
  
"Come on" I yelled. She snorted back at me.  
  
With one last effort I poke her if I had spurs  
  
Wwhrrrrrrrrrrrrhhehehhehhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! She reared in to the air and took off so fast it nearly wiped me off the settle. She ran out the stable and darted back and forth angrily trying to find a way out then suddenly shwwomm!!!!! She took off like a bullet running full speed toward the high fence.  
  
I clung to her saddle for dear life and shrooomm!!! We jumped over the fence, next thing I knew it was like being in a hurricane, and the wind blew my hair back, trying to blow me away.  
  
"STOP!!" I yelled, but she did not stop.  
  
"Pull the rains stupid I thought to my self. I pulled the rains and she began to slow down then went into a slow stop and trotted around in a circle. She seemed calm now, the tension she had was gone.  
  
"Don't like crowed areas. Huh" I said to her rubbing her neck  
  
"Man, you can run like the wind" I looked back the city seemed to be almost a mile away.  
  
"Ok, lets go back now" she slowly began to trot back to the city.  
  
"Maybe faster" I said to her gently taping my heels like I had spurs  
  
She switched to a gallop and then to a full run, but this time I kept my balance and road all the way back. Next thing I knew we were jumping the fence and headed straight for the stall she was in. The ride was exhilarating I could barely keep balance. I fell off her. Zephon came up to me.  
  
"How was it?" he asked  
  
"Whoa" was all I could say.  
  
"Whoa?"  
  
"Whoa"  
  
"Does that mean you want her?"  
  
"Whoa"  
  
'I will take that as a yes."  
  
I got up a couple seconds later, but quickly fell down. I had stiff legs from the ride, I hadn't road a horse in a while like I said.  
  
Chapter six  
  
Early the next day, on an internal porch looking over the slave population in chains, cages and other forms of imprisonment.  
  
Last night I had spent most of my time with Zephon, talking to others, Zephon was highly respected by everyone he came up to. I had learned much last night about the slaves and why I would need some. Zephon said it would be easier in the long run if I hand picked slaves, because you will need them to work well with you in the future.  
  
I looked over the huge mass of slaves. I looked over them for a long time. What I was looking for. I wasn't quite sure. Loyalty perhaps, not some thing you get in slaves. I had to pick twenty slaves in order to run the "cave" as I referred to it. Finally I went down, you have no idea how hard it is to turn someone that you would once respect as your own in to someone you will always view lower then you.  
  
The slave pits stunk of that of dead, indeed in the far corner of the room laid a pile of dead corpses, most of them died of starvation. But what was worse was that the slaves were not bathed, which even added more to the stench.  
  
I took my time on picking the males that I would have tented to my horses and cut and clean the blood. I put them through a series of mental test that I once used to test my men's loyalties. I did not want to make a mistake of under estimating them, for fear they would rise up and murder me.  
  
As for the females I did not go through the test I just asked them a simple question that would tell me their motive. Most said "to go home" was there motive.  
  
By the time I was finished I had picked seven men and thirteen women. But as I walked out I heard a scream, I turned and saw a young slave girl, no more then fifteen, rush out, her chains cut free. She ran passed me and then stopped and turned around as guards came out of her supposed exit, she ran passed me again to the place she had come but found guards running to cut off her other exit. She was trapped with me in the middle. She ran passed me again, perhaps a last attempt to escape through the guards, but this time I grabbed her. She let out a little wail of fright, and tried to shake free of my grip. But I jerked her back and found her looking me right in the eyes. It's funny you know, how you can tell so much about people by just looking in to their eyes. What I saw was a scared little girl that looked like she had seen more horrors then I could possibly imagine. I felt so sorry for her, and I guess she could see that because just then the guards surrounded her and she ran behind me holed me toward them for protection.  
  
The jail keeper came forward.  
  
"Who are you"?  
  
"I am lord zephons newly acquired fourth lieutenant," I said boldly  
  
"Well, lieutenant or not you will have to give up that slave. Unless you are going to pay extra?"  
  
I grabbed her by the hand, and pulled her from behind me. She looked again in to my eyes. She wanted out so bad, some how I new that if she did not get out this time she was going to get out a much more desperate way.  
  
"Yes" I said turning to him "I will pay extra"  
  
All the guards looked at the jailer then with an angry grunt he left.  
  
After all the guards had left. The slave girl turned and hugged me, for a long time she didn't let go, like she could not say thank you enough.  
  
After that she followed me wherever I went. The other slaves went down to holding cages, but when she was forced to go she began to cry. So I let her come with me. When I asked her what her name was she said "seer hah" and nothing else so I referred to her as Sara.  
  
That after getting her some decent human food, crackers and milk was all they had besides that slop they feed them in the slaves pits, and me drinking my fill at the blood fountain. We went to the training camp.  
  
Zephon said that most often they let the fledglings, or younger vampires like me, just live their life but for those who wished to become skilled fighters, they came to the training camp.  
  
When I got there, I was met by zephon and his lieutenant, Khalil. Who happened to be or was Malek's great, great, great, nephew.  
  
"Who's the girl?" asked zephon as I walked up to him.  
  
"She's my.uh personal slave I believe you said it was"  
  
"Humm. Niccolie this is Khalil, your fellow clan member"  
  
"Hello" he said in sly voice  
  
"Nice to meet you"  
  
"Today you will get a one day training test. It will last from now, midmorning, to tonight"  
  
"Well lets get started"  
  
I would eventually regret through words, the training was demanding and I spent most of my time jumping from poll to poll the went higher and higher to beat my last best time the worst part is that if you fell you did not die, you just entered a whole new world of pain. But the worst part was the lectures that went on about vampire this and vampire that.  
  
".You don't know what you can do until you try it." I remember one saying. After swinging from rope to rope the was running miles, then climbing ropes, then fighting wooden dummies, then jumping flips and gymnastics, then endurance tests, then fist fighting skills, then bow and arrow accuracy.  
  
I did find that my ever-physical element had been improved, but I had not had a work out like this in long time, which had drained my blood down low. Thankfully Sara would get me blood, but she had to be escorted by a guard so that she would not try to escape.  
  
At the end of the day, I had been thought 120 courses (including lectures) non-stop with no brakes. There were about 200 more they had waiting for me if I was going to stay another day. But these were just tests and Zephon said real training would make you spend hours on each subject.  
  
But I had but one more to finish, a wooden sword fight with Khalil.  
  
"Your last test, unfortunately there is no chance of passing this one." He said and passed me a wooded sword.  
  
"We well see," I said.  
  
He lashed at me with the sword I had gotten a firm grip. I jumped back and then began fighting.  
  
He was fast and skilled, but very careless. He lashed out without cautions was easy to play around.  
  
The thrust his sword at me. I dodged and grabbed his sword hand and elbowed him with my free hand he fell back, shocked.  
  
"I guess you haves some moves." he said in his wicked milkiea voice.  
  
I faked a thrust and he made guard and I sweep kicked him. He and I spent a couple minutes going back and fourth, I used more fist and body moves to tale him then actually hitting him with the sword.  
  
I round housed him and he scuttled back then he charged me, carelessly, I kicked him and then kicked the sword out of his hand and caught it.  
  
"Looks like I won" I said with a smile  
  
Fwip!!  
  
He did a back flip in such a form that his legs knocked both my swords out of my hands. Then he kicked me to the ground before catching both my swords.  
  
He pointed the swords at me as I lay at the ground.  
  
"I guess you were wrong" he said.  
  
That fight was a humiliation. But I found it was more necessary to forget about it then to ponder on it till we fought again.  
  
"Good fight, I thought I had you." I said in a good tone  
  
"I guess you were very mistaken." He said in a cocky tone.  
  
We left the training grounds and went in to the blood fountain room before our departure.  
  
"Sara," I said as I noticed her slowly wander away "get back here" she did just that.  
  
I walked up to the fountain and grabbed a cup. Dipped it in and drank.  
  
"Zephon I.."  
  
Splash!!  
  
A female vampire caring a tray with wine glasses filled with blood hit him.  
  
"Oh, I am so sorry" she said bending down to pickup the glasses, I picked up two and handed it to her.  
  
"What a waste" I said, looking at the blood covering my thick leather armor.  
  
"But not to me," said zephon as he lifted his hand and all the blood rose from my armor and then went in to his mouth.  
  
"How did you.?"  
  
"Its and old vampire trick, you will learn it in time" he said walking out.  
  
Chapter seven  
  
********************************************  
  
I was out side putting the harness on the black stallion, or black fire as I have named her. Sara was with me and since she had no shoes to walk with, I let her ride with me.  
  
Zephon was gathering the slaves into the moving carriage. We met up at the horse and black smith market to get my sword. When I got it was beautiful and was exactly how I wanted it. I paid Killian extra for the beautiful design he had put on it to fit my nature.  
  
That night we road back to the cave. Sara had fallen asleep and I moved her in to the carriage with Zephon who I rode beside with black fire.  
  
"The poor thing must have had a rough day" Zephon said, looking toward Sara.  
  
"Yes, I saved her from a swarm of soldiers bent on killing her or so it seemed."  
  
"Probably, the slaves get four forgive lives, for each time they try to escape they take away one, on your forth they kill you."  
  
"No wonder. And she also doesn't speak."  
  
" Most who are born in captivity don't know how to speak."  
  
"I guess I have to teach her then."  
  
"I guess"  
  
The next few days blurred in to nothingness, days don't exist, you are up twenty-four-seven, never have a thought of sleep, and you don't know what time it is. Just what you have to get done. And eventually that blurred into weeks. Next thing I knew I was running the cave, giving orders on my men to watch the slayer trails, and to the slaves on what had to be done in the cave. But for three days each week, for five hours I would watch my past. I found that sitting at the forest edge that was across the wheat fields from my house. But soon weeks turned in to months I found that every month I would have to ride to the city for a meeting with the lieutenants. Sara accompanied everywhere on business trips, But not when I was watching my wife and Karie. I taught her to speak most words and to ride horses, I gave her a room of her own and she kept it nice and neat. She was a good helper and friend. Eventually months blurred into years.  
  
Now for three months of a year I go for training at the city leaving the cave under my first lieutenant. I need this for I had not have seen action in some time, while there I made another sword, this one longer for horse riding and weapons I could use.  
  
Then for the rest of the year I just watched my family and spied on the slayers.  
  
Then one day I was out there, I can't remember how many years went by I saw Karie, a lady of fifteen, run out in to the wheat fields with another boy. As her father I felt tempted to intervene but I knew I shouldn't so after watching them run around and then beginning to get close I left leaving them with their privacy.  
  
Karie grew up fast in my eyes, I had lost track of years.  
  
But all this time I managed to live without having to "take" blood, I had never really felt I should kill someone for blood until that fateful day I lost all my respect for humans blood.  
  
I was out in the field were I watched Karie. I was out there this particular day because I could not see a sight of her.  
  
I was on a small hill and black fire sat beside me. I wore my hood as I all ways did.  
  
"Here horsy, horsy, horsy" came a sweet voice that startled me.  
  
I turned and saw Karie, kneeling next to black fire. At first I panicked and didn't know what to do.  
  
Then I told myself to say clam. And try not to let her see you.  
  
"Her name is black fire." I said in my best fake accent.  
  
"Oh my," she said getting up all of a sudden "I didn't see you there"  
  
"It's ok"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am Marcus Hicker," I said off the top of my mind  
  
"What are you doing out here."  
  
"I am a poet, I was thinking of a poem about this beautiful field"  
  
"Poet huh? Well nice swords, and armor."  
  
I quickly felt my hood so that it was in place. I didn't want her to see me for fear she my recognize me.  
  
"I come from the northern high lands there are Many vampires there we must be prepared whereever we go. But of course there is not vampires here."  
  
"That is not true"  
  
"Says who??"  
  
"My father"  
  
Father? At first I thought my wife remarried. I stuttered then tried to play along  
  
"And who is you father?"  
  
"Niccolie Lehethess II"  
  
I was shocked and very confused but continued to play along.  
  
"Niccolie the great?? I heard he was murdered by murderous thieves"  
  
"NO, he was killed by vampires, I was there I saw it all."  
  
I understood now. But I had to deny her, from the truth.  
  
"Nonsense" I said in a humorous tone " we all know there aren't vampires out here" I lied.  
  
"THERE ARE VAMPIRES HERE!!! I SAW THEM THEY TOOK MY FATHER!! WHY WON'T ANY ONE BELIEVE ME!!!"" she screamed at me and ran off back to the house.  
  
"I'm sorry. Karie" I whispered to myself.  
  
Then some thing unexpected happened. As I slowly walked back I suddenly had a hot sting hit my face.  
  
"Ahhh!!" I said putting my hand over it.  
  
I felt it, it was wet and burned.  
  
"Water!!" I screamed in my mind, "rain!!!" suddenly a cold fear gripped me.  
  
"HA!!" I yelled as I stabbed my spurs in to black fire.  
  
Srooommm!! We speed out in to the woods, I herd a crackle of thunder, and I dug my spurs deeper.  
  
But we were to far way from home. As I ran through the forest I saw a small carved out cave in the side of a wall of rock. I made a quick decision to stay there, then risk running back home, which was three hours of hard riding.  
  
I quickly tied black fire up and took all the supplies I had with me. And ran in to the small but sheltering cave.  
  
I quickly got set up, and waited for the down poor of pain. I waited one. two. three. four minutes It didn't come. I walked out of cave and looked up at the sky.  
  
SHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Came the rain poring down. I shot into the cave.  
  
It was pouring. I figured I would all be over in a few hours. But as time dragged on the endless hunger of the vampire came to me. So I drank whatever blood was in my Blood Vial, but the rain dragged on in to the night. And slowly I began to starve, but it rained and rained. At first I thought I would starve to death, but then I thought of my crossing of Karie. I thought how she ran off crying because she thought everyone thought she was crazy. I didn't want to die with out letting her know of his true fate, a least I wanted her to have the decency to know I was killed by vampires.  
  
I so I lasted through the night in a crouched position holding my arms to my stomach, trying to ignore the throbbing pain. But as each hour passed until morning it become more then just a pain. I began to feel something take over, an urge to feed, to kill and take the watery life of the living. I started thinking of blood, fresh just opened from the wound blood. Blood that was still blue. Just blood. My mind, soul, and body demanded blood. A sense of predatorness, of animal like behavior deep inside of me told me to go out there and kill something.  
  
I grew anxious and eager to go out but the bars of rain held me back. At least I still had my self-preservation.  
  
It continued raining all the next day until finally a little after midday.  
  
I rushed out and whipped the saddle on to black fire. The hunger was strong almost overwhelming. Every movement I made seemed to be just too slow; I just couldn't go fast enough. It was like I was at the bottom of a pool with barely enough air trying to swim to the top. I rode hard to one of the three villages on the way to the cave. There I saw a young woman going to the creek, which was a good distance from the village, and she was alone.  
  
My urges wanted me to jump off my horse and tear her to pieces. But I held them down as I remembered Zephons warnings. So I followed her until we were out of sight from the village. Then I looked left and then right. No one in sight. Then I reared black fire up and charged down oh her. She saw me and let out a scream, but we were too far from the village to heard. She dropped her bucket and began to run but she was too slow, I swooped down with black fire and picked her up. My heart was pounding, my mind screamed "eat, must eat, kill, the blood take the blood!!!" I closed my eyes to hold down the thoughts. She kicked and screamed. So I muzzled her with my hand. And I road deeper in to the forest. Then, when the village was about a mile way, I threw her to the ground and jumped off black fire. She screamed and I came after her. She was to slow everything in my body seemed to have exploded to extreme speeds. I had her in my grasp and she began to beg for her life. But I did not hear her. I held her from behind and pulled her head to the side. There it was a smooth, warm stretch of neck. Then all by instinctively I stabbed my fangs into it making two holes perfectly on the main vain. Then I sucked the warm, delicious liquid out of it. I was incredible my body wanted it all, I wanted it faster then I could suck it out. My body went calm and we stood there. Like we were joined. Her blood was hot and bubbly. All her screaming had warmed her blood to the peak of taste, and the adrenalin in her blood stream made it even better. She and I stood there for I don't know how long. I sucked and sucked, until the blood grew cold and ran dry.  
  
I stopped and let go of her; by this time she had been dead for a while and flopped down on to the ground. But I had lost some thing, like those days you just wake up and you have lost your sorrow of a loved one that die. Then I realized I lost my humanity. I didn't care for her, she was just meat. I took her body by the leg and dragged it to my horse. I flopped her on top and road to the lake that the river emptied in to. I knew it was deep, to deep to explore. I poked a bunch of holes in the body, so that it would sink and not float on the surface. Then I took a boat and poked some holes in it too. And I put the body in the boat and let it set sail. It went about a good two hundred feet out and sank, the body drifted for a little bit but then sank down in the dark unknown depths of the lake.  
  
Then I got on black fire and road, back to the cave.  
  
Chapter eight  
  
**********************************************************  
  
After that experience I was different. I found my self-feeding on humans whenever I felt the need of it. I tried to make it rare, because then humans might get suspicions if their kids or friends keep disappearing when ever they when out, but the blood taken from a live person in to your own mouth was so much better then the pre-bled kind. But I managed.  
  
There is a funny thing about vampire sorcery; only a very small population can do it very well. Among those who can are Kain, and Melchiah, and a very small amount more and that's it. As for Me I only know one spell, Disguise, I took me almost five years to learn it, and I still haven't mastered it. I took some lessons from the mighty Kain himself in a gathering once with him. He told me I lack the talent of a sorcerer, but have the mind of a true vampire; I still don't know what he meant by that.  
  
I choose Disguise, because I wanted to walk among my family as someone else, and learn about them and watch them.  
  
I have tried to use it once when my old family went in to the market in town, but found it to hard to control and eventually left them to be on their way.  
  
But there was a spell that I would eventually take on in the future, vampire making. Zephon said that at the moment he was the only Zephonim that could make more of his kin, but he said in the near future some time we will al learn the power.  
  
I watched my family more closely now these days, sometimes getting inches from the doorways to listen to there conversations at night.  
  
I had discovered much through this. My daughter was 17 and had already taken up an interest in boys. And she had already had one partner from her child hood that she "had feelings for" as she put it. Indeed she had and as I watched her I began to notice a lot of the boys had interests in her. Indeed she was very beautiful, like her mother. Like her mother when I first met her, long, long, ago. She was a waitress, and I was a young cocky vampire hunter. I walked in to a bar one bad day and there she was, after taking a mutual interest in each other I drank to much and she took me home since noone knew me there. I woke up in her fathers barn, turned out she was hiding me from him. He was a drunk with no respect for anyone so when he saw me, he tried to kill me, but I got away. I learned the next day that he'd beaten her and her mother. I went back and challenged him, after a rather mean fight I won. He left and told his wife she would never see him again. I fell in love with her, but duty called and I had to leave. But returned ten years later to marry her.  
  
As I watched my past, I began to learn more on Karie's boyfriends, something I shouldn't have. I found out which were just playing her and which for for real. And often myself trying to expose the bad ones with out exposing my self. And once she almost caught me.  
  
Anyway away from watching my past vampire life began to heat up.  
  
Zephone was mad a Turel because he had taken over an area of land in the north that Zephon was planning to build a base, Zephonim clan was small and could do little to push around Turels because his clan out numbered us.  
  
So one day during a meeting he stood up in front of all his five lieutenants (he as still yet to fill in a sixth) and said  
  
"I need some one to go to the northern high lands and tell Turel to give back our reserved land" first everyone in the meeting laughed but when everyone noticed Zephon wasn't laughing they all stopped.  
  
Zephon was serious, the second youngest brother telling the second oldest brother to "back off". We feared the Turelim; they were like the barbarians of the vampire world, next to the Razielim who were the elite.  
  
The Turel were in the upper high mountains, and spent all day running around in the snow, which also burns a vampire, when it melts. I remember when I was fighting them that if you threw them in to the snow they wouldn't get up as fast, then you could deliver a fatal blow.  
  
We knew what would happen if we went, Turel would kill us and send us back to Zephon in pieces to show who has the upper hand.  
  
But as Zephon stood there waiting for someone to come forward and take on the horrible responsibility, some thing in the back off my head, from way back at the war academy where I learned to kill vampires, some thing that my old tuters told me about loyalty. Loyalty reflects trust. Trust is what I needed to prove myself to Zephon.  
  
I stepped forward. Everyone looked at me in amazement.  
  
"I will go," I said boldly  
  
Next thing I knew I was on black fire, with all my weapons, headed to the north. Now that I look back on it I was mostly at my advantage, I had spent many years fighting the turelim in the north I knew how they worked. They were big, strong, and fast. But stupid, clumsy, and had slow reflexes.  
  
When I finally got to the north I found I need gloves because the snow flakes would hit my hands and melt. When I got to the Turel capital I found that it was big and built in to the side of a mountain. It's been cold inside, and the Turelim didn't seem to notice. They lead me to the main chamber were on a big throne was turel, he was tall about seven six, with a well built body, and a long black hair fitted in to a pony tail  
  
He looked up at me.  
  
"Ahh, if it isn't my little brothers messenger" he said in a deep voice.  
  
I walked forward and got down on one knee and bowed.  
  
"Raise, tell me why hasn't my brother come?"  
  
"At the moment lord Zephon was occupied by project he was working on." I said  
  
"And what does he ask of me?"  
  
"Lord Zephon demands that you turn over his reserved land to him immediately, so he can begin construction on a northern base." I said  
  
"HA!" he laughed, "my brother demands me to return his land, and what will he do?"  
  
It hit me; Zephon hadn't told me what he would do if he didn't get his land back. Or maybe he was expecting me to come back in a box with a note labeled "what is left of your lieutenant little brother" then I thought of what Zephon would do.  
  
"He says he would turn vulnerably material, like detailed maps on how to get in to this city, to the vampire hunters." That was zephon like not a direct attack, but an attack that would not harm him in a way.  
  
Turel was quite for a moment.  
  
"You, lie" he said slowly  
  
"I speak the truth" I lied " Lord Zephon as detailed maps on this city as well as your two, underground slave houses east and west of here." I remember these places from my hunting days. Turels eyes grew big then quickly died. He turned to one of the guards  
  
"Well let's show little Zephon what happens when he tries such"  
  
The guard pulled out his axe (Turelim have a strange love for axes) and walked to me.  
  
I calmly pulled my riding sword and my normal sword from their back slots.  
  
The Turel charged at me, I knew what he would do he would slam his ax down ward to try to scare me. That he did and I cut of his arms an I jumped to the side. He cried in pain but I slashed off his head before he could finish his screaming.  
  
"Karda" said Turel to his first lieutenant. "Show this armature how to really fight."  
  
The lieutenant came running forward and knocked me to the ground. Then he pulled out a long sword and slashed at me. I tried to defend my self with mine but he whacked it out of my hands, I had to cripple hi some how, I pulled out one of my throwing knives and threw it in to his face, and nailed him in the eye. He screamed and dropped his sword and covered his face in pain. I quickly ran up and lopped off one of his legs.  
  
He fell to the ground with a heavy thud. I got on top of him and was about to cut off his head when he pulled a dagger from his side and stabbed it in to my thigh after missing my stomach. I leapt off of him, the dagger still stuck in my thigh. Suddenly he was crawling up to me, he punched me as I lay on the ground and pulled the dragger out of my leg with a violent twist, and tried to stab me again. But I kicked it out of his hand then kicked the throwing knife in his eye and he screamed and jerked back. I ran to my sword and cut off his right hand. Then some thing came to me, my cruel side, and my hatred side. I jumped on to him my face as cold as ice and pulled out one of my daggers. I ripped out the throwing knife from his eye and held his Face down to the floor. Turel stood up. I held the face down so the eye was looking up at me and then I cutted it out of its eye socket. The vampire screamed wildly with pain. Pop the eye flew out of its socket and rolled to Turel's feet. He looked at me in horror. I turned the vampires face to its other side and wiped the dagger on my armor clean for another eye cut.  
  
"AHHH!! PLEASE STOP!!" he screamed out loud as all the other Turelim looked at him in horror " PLEASE MASTER MAKE HIM STOP!!!"  
  
I brought the dagger up to his other eye.  
  
"STOP!!!" boomed Turels voice in a shaky tone.  
  
I pulled my dagger from his eye, the leaning up to his face I whispered "your lucky"  
  
I got up and stood in front of Turel. He looked confused, like he didn't know whether to kill me or say he was sorry for trying to kill me. He walked back to his throne and sat down and rubbed one of his temples with a look that said, "Zephon sent THIS guy to talk to me."  
  
I noticed that the eyeball was on the ground in front of me. I leaded down and picked it up and put it in one of my pouches.  
  
Turel looked at me disgusted.  
  
"What, did your master want again?" he said finally  
  
"The land he had for building his base."  
  
"Oh yeah." He said in a depressed tone  
  
"And if you don't give it he will give some vulnerable material to the vampire slayers about you." I reminded him  
  
"Yeah, I am going to right a letter for him ok"  
  
"Ok"  
  
"Guards, give...uh. what was you name?"  
  
"Niccolie"  
  
"Give Niccolie a room, some blood, and some 'company' if he needs any" he said then turned to me "you have had a rough day I suggest that you get some rest"  
  
"Yes lord" said getting down on one knee again and bowing.  
  
I think Turel liked the fact that I still yielded to his higher authority after I had defeated his own challenge.  
  
That night I wandered around the Turelim city looking at the sites, everywhere I went Turelim would go quiet and would move out of my way like I was a mad man, or that was what they thought. And that morning I left with a letter to Zephon back to the southeast where home was.  
  
Chapter nine  
  
**********************************************  
  
As I walked in to the Zephon meeting room all the lieutenants stared at me in awe. I handed Zephon the letter. He opened it quickly and read over it.  
  
Then he stood up and read it out loud.  
  
"Dear little brother Zephon" he began "through great thought and careful dictions I have decided to return your land to you provide that you don't give any information on my bases or my clan to the vampire slayers.  
  
You probably want the land very desperately to bring me such a vile messenger, please note that I will not take the mutilation of my first lieutenant very peaceful. But lets stop this squabbling and make peace. If I don't push, you don't push. In highest respects your older brother Turel."  
  
Everyone began to smile and some one let out a small laugh.  
  
"Me giving information to the vampire slayers?" said Zephon raising an eyebrow to me.  
  
"I need some thing to threatened him with, without actually indicating clan war."  
  
"Mutilation?"  
  
I reached in to my pouch and pulled out the eyeball and threw it to zephon, he caught it, and he looked it over and then smiled.  
  
"You have done well," he said  
  
"I exist but to serve you my lord"  
  
"Your value to the clan is more then your rank"  
  
"I am happy where I stand"  
  
"Well, no less you must be promoted, you will replace Khalil as my first lieutenant."  
  
"BUT SIR" said Khalil out loud the lowing his voice "but sir, I run all the major operation I am almost thirty years older then him. He isn't even a full adult yet. You must reconsider."  
  
"All true, but he has taken up a mission that would almost certainly come to death in which all of you have not dear looked at, and still he came out victorious and has proven that our clan, small it may be, must be respected."  
  
"Khalil, is right" I said with a deep breath. "I may have proven myself but, Khalil is right, he does control most of the operation that would seriously jeopardizes our clan if he left his post, I am also not ready to handle such an important job, the clans reputation is important but not more important then the clan itself."  
  
"Are you declining this promotion, Niccolie?"  
  
"I rather live my simple life, let me have my post until times of greater need"  
  
So life went on. I continued watching Karie and my wife. Life as a vampire had taken hold of me. And I lived to my best. Then tragedy struck.  
  
One dark day. It was cloudy like one of those days you knew it would rain but never does. I was watching my houses, Karie had left, but I could see no sign of my wife. So I went up behind the house. I saw on the table a fishing box. With out thinking I walked in and walked to it. I slowly opened to see all the hooks and lines. And there, I took off my hood, in the corner of the box was a sketch drawing of me. I would have cried If could. They missed me as much as me, only thing I could see them and they couldn't.  
  
I was in such an emotional moment I didn't hear the sound of bear feet patting in my direction on the garnet floor. I picked up the picture and held it up to my face.  
  
Suddenly I herd a gasp behind me.  
  
"Niccolie" I herd some one whisper behind me.  
  
I spun around, there was my wife rapped in a towel, hair wet, and she was pale like she saw a ghost. I guess I panicked and tried to dash from the house but in the confusion of the situation I tripped over a chair and fell to the ground. I looked back at my wife. She was covering her mouth and tears streamed down her face.  
  
It was over, she already knew.  
  
"What did they do to you?" she said in a shaken and sad voice.  
  
I got up and walked up to her, she backed away as I came closer.  
  
"It's ok," I said in a soft voice, as I walked closer  
  
At first she was scared, then sorrow over whelmed her and she embraced me, her still wet skin burning my flesh.  
  
"What have they done to you" she cried  
  
"I had to"  
  
She pulled away from me scared again. Then she put her hand on her neck.  
  
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare do such a thing," I said in a serious tone.  
  
"God," she said in her normal voice as she wiped her tears from her face.  
  
"Karie said they killed you, but for some reason I believe what everyone else said. I don't even know why I doubted our daughter"  
  
She walked up to me and put her hand on my cheek, and another tear streamed down her face. I wiped it off her face.  
  
"I was with you," I said in a shaky tone  
  
"When?"  
  
"Always, I only thought of you and Karie since the moment they did this."  
  
"You were like this for twelve years? why didn't you come to us."  
  
"I was scared, scared of rejection."  
  
She looked at me, into my undead eyes. Then she hugged me and I held her to me, I guess I missed her. She let go of me and ran off in to the living room. I was about to follow her but she came running back carrying something in her hand.  
  
"I believe you are missing this" she gave a small box to me. I opened it and there was my wedding ring. I felt so sad and damned my self for not being able to cry.  
  
"Th.thank you so much" I said  
  
Suddenly I heard some thing move by the window and a young blond man went running from it like he was running for his life. Suddenly it hit me, vampire code any seen with a vampire is no better then a vampire.  
  
"He saw us!!" said in a frighten voice  
  
"He's Karie's boyfriend, what is it to him if he sees me and you?"  
  
"There is a rule that says that if you are seen with a vampire you must be killed, I know him. I have watched him. He isn't what he seems to you and Karie. He will tell every one!!!!" I said quickly running up to the window.  
  
"You mean the vampire hunters will kill me?"  
  
"Yes, Karie too"  
  
"Why Karie?"  
  
"She is your daughter, and I am you ...Er was your husband"  
  
"My god we got to get her before they do!!"  
  
I looked outside, and then ran inside.  
  
"Go to the fields, hide I will find her."  
  
"But they will kill you!!!"  
  
"Rather me then her!!"  
  
"But she won't even recognize you!!! She was a little girl when she last saw you."  
  
"I haven't aged a day since then she will know!!!" I said as I ran out the back and she followed me. My wife hid in the fields and I ran to black fire and road around the town. The people were gathering in the towns square, they were holding up torches and had weapons out. They were already going out in to the fields and searching the town for Karie.  
  
I wasted no time I charged in to the town and ran though the streets. Suddenly I saw Karie run by on the next street down, I charged up the street and pulled out my riding sword.  
  
A man ran in front of me and aimed a crossbow in Karies direction.  
  
Shrrromm!!! *Shink* his head fell from his body as I passed him.  
  
The blood on my sword made me hungry.  
  
Two more men ran up to me screaming at me and tried to shoot me. I snatched two throwing knives and threw them in to their faces.  
  
I saw Karie she was running full speed to the open fields.  
  
"AHHGH!!" I yelled as an arrow stuck in to my shoulder. I tore it out and I turned and saw an old man loading his cross bow. I rode up and picked him of the ground and threw him in to another group of humans. I turned back to Karie and she was gone. I ran then I saw her dashing thought the olive tree orchard as arrows zinged passed her I charged in to her direction and saw two men with crossbows. I charged at them.  
  
"Aggahh!!" screamed one but was cut short as I trampled over him with black fire. Then I cut off the others head.  
  
Then a blood-curdling scream I heard from the direction of the square and I saw smoke rise in to the sky. "NO" I screamed in my head, I charged in to the square.  
  
There was a stage with burning wood on top of it. And in the middle of the burning fire was my wife, she looked at me, her face blacked almost to a crisp, and whispered words I could not herd but all ready knew, "I love you". Then she dropped into the flames and died.  
  
Chapter ten  
  
********************************************  
  
I went mad; suddenly I was riding around the stage killing anything that was human. The killing was now a need, I need it. I don't know why, I just need it.  
  
Men, women, children, if it wasn't like me I killed it.  
  
I got off black fire and took out my combat sword, and with two swords in my hand I walked around the square, killing any one dared enter.  
  
A man charged me from around one of the corners of the streets.  
  
"Niccolie, I knew you would amount to this!!!" he said. "Just like your wife and bitch for a daughter!!!"  
  
I went wild and cut off the man's legs then I took two of my throwing knives and stabbed them in to his eyes and left them there, then I dragged him up to the stage were the fire was and threw him in to his. I watched with glee and he blindly scramabled around looking for a way from the shirring flam. All they while screaming for my mercy.  
  
Then suddenly it all slowed down and a grave fear entered me.  
  
"Karie!!" I screamed in my head. I ran up and got on black fire.  
  
I charged out of the town and in to the fields. THERE!! I saw five men charge in to the forest after a barely visible figure.  
  
"HA" I stabbed my heels in to black fire and we charged up to them I caught three off guard.  
  
*Shink* one arm and a head  
  
*Shink* the top half of a head  
  
*Shink* and a half of what used to be human  
  
I saw in the distance running deep in to the forest. I saw the to men.  
  
I slammed my heels and we charged in their direction.  
  
As I grew close I saw what was happening.  
  
One man the older one had a knife to Karie's neck and the other I recognized as Karie's boyfriend was trying to take off her cloths.  
  
I went mad, I lost it, I lost my concessions and became no more then a bloodthirsty killer. Before I new it I was upon them the older man dropped the knife and began to run.  
  
*Shink* blood splattered over my armor as I sliced off his head.  
  
I turned around and saw the young man with the knife. I got of my horse.  
  
"I will kill you vampire." He lashed the knife at me. I caught his hand and tore his arm from its socket.  
  
"AAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" he screamed.  
  
I cut of his other arm then took his legs as well. Then I held his face down and pulled out one of my draggers. I cutted out his eyes, as his screams echoed in to the night. Then I lost track of what I was doing.  
  
When I finally regained my mind, I found that in my madness I had token both of his eyes, cut off his tongue, skinned his head, and pulled all the teeth from his upper jaw. And he was still alive.  
  
I got up. My armor was stained with blood. I took my sword and then thruster it in to his heart. I wanted everyone to know what they had done to me. I hanged up the body so that every one who came in to the forest could see.  
  
"Karie" I said again in my mind.  
  
I got on black fire and when to where she was when I killed the first man. There were footprints in the mud but the die in to the forest grass.  
  
I sniffed the air. I could smell blood. She was close; I trotted down to where I killed the first man. And looked around the sent grew stronger. I went farther and I could smell her. She was close, very close.  
  
I looked around. Nothing  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhggggggggggg!!!!" Came a scream as I was tackled down from my stale, with such force that I didn't know what happened. Then I felt someone kicked me in the side. I looked up. Karie was kicking wildly at me.  
  
I jumped up and caught her next kick. Then I grabbed a hold of her by the shoulder she screamed in my face so loud I went deft. I shook her and screamed her name back.  
  
"KARIE!! DON'T YOU RECONIZSE ME!!!" I screamed at her.  
  
But she didn't stop fighting.  
  
"KARIE, IT'S ME YOUR FATHER!!" I let her go and pulled of my hood. She stopped fighting and looked at me.  
  
"It's me, your father."  
  
She looked at me in silence for a long, long time. Then I saw a small tear streams down her cheek.  
  
"Prove it." She said with a flat tone.  
  
"I uh." I looked at her and saw the memory necklace I gave her, still bright blue.  
  
"I gave you this." I pointed to the necklace "the night I came back from hunting. The night before we went fishing and the vampires got me."  
  
She looked at me and then ran over her necklace with her fingers.  
  
"Daddy?" she said slowly beginning to cry  
  
I gave her a hug and she held me tight. Her tears burned in to my skin. But somehow it didn't hurt.  
  
" Why didn't you come home" she said though her crying.  
  
"Daddy was afraid"  
  
She cried even more. Then through my ears I heard voices in the distance. Quickly pulled away from Karie.  
  
"Karie, people are coming, they are trying to kill you and me."  
  
"What about mom?" she said wiping the tears from her face, unfortunately that was just time wasted.  
  
"She's..she's .. She's at a better place" Karie looked at me, and then just busted out in to more tears. But through all her crying she managed to get on black fire. I got on and we road, but I soon had another problem. As I got to the edge of the forest I realized that they had surrounded it. They were trapping me in. so Karie and I had to ride up the mountain, they had followed us through the night. The next morning I found that they were chasing us up the side of the mountain. My hunger had come, but luckily I had brought three full Blood Vials.  
  
As I drank, Karie tried to ignore me but found herself asking questions.  
  
"What does it taste like. Blood I mean" she asked as I finished my second vial.  
  
"Well to a vampire it is as sweet as honey." I said as I wiped the blood from my mouth. She shrugged  
  
"Did it hurt."? She asks me.  
  
"What?" I asked as I opened my third vial  
  
"Did it hurt, to become a vampire?"  
  
"Well, I don't know I can't remember. I just woke up and poof. I was a vampire."  
  
"How come you became a vampire?"  
  
I stopped drinking. I thought a bit.  
  
" I just woke up as one and decided to live as one" I lied.  
  
"Doesn't sound like you"  
  
I looked down the cliff we were on. From the side was the mountain waterfall that filled the river.  
  
Zephon will be mad at me if I get away. The people of this valley now knew that vampires were out there or at least a vampire was out there.  
  
Karie looked out off the cliff and saw the torches of the many people below us.  
  
"They will chase us down till we are dead." She said in a cold tone  
  
Suddenly I had an idea. But then again it was a bad Idea.  
  
"I have a idea, we can fake our deaths"  
  
"Well unlike you I am not dead."  
  
"No," I said pulling out a dagger and dipping it in to my still very full Vial. I pulled it out it was covered in blood.  
  
"You just stabbed me with my own knife." I said with a smile.  
  
"What?"  
  
I poured blood from were we were off to the end of the cliff and smeared the blood and threw what was left of the blood out in to the mighty waterfall.  
  
"Then you ran off into the cliff and die hitting the edge were you sank to the bottom." I said, she looked at me and then seamed to catch on.  
  
"Then" she said "you ran your horse off the cliff after me."  
  
"Yes" I said turning to black fire. By now she was old. I looked in to her eyes.  
  
"Well girl, "I said patting her head " I have to ask you of a favor, I know we have had a lot of bad times but this is all I need."  
  
She whinnied like she knew what I was saying.  
  
"That's right, you will fly" then I got on her and we made our last ride, we ran just as we hit the cliff I jumped off and she soared in to the air. She was beautiful it looked like she could run upon the wind it's self, and then she fell down in to the mysterious steam of the waterfall.  
  
I stood there for some moments looking down the cliff. Then Karie ands I went farther up the hill. That night we watched the torches of the vampire hunters move down back to the town, like small comets in the night they went. Our deaths must have been established. That night I took Karie to the cave and we got there at early morning.  
  
******************************************************  
  
Epilogue  
  
Poor Karie, she lost her father and found him, but then lost her mother.  
  
I was afraid to tell her the truth about why I became a vampire for fear that she would think that I choose to become a vampire over staying I would have died. It's not a good example for your kids if you feared death and choose to live as a vampire. Then one day she shocked me by just walking up to me and saying, "I want to be a vampire". At first I didn't let her say such a thing, but then she told me of what she had lost and what I was and how she would hate to like a life that always viewed me as a "different" creature. So I gave her to Zephon and then she was like me. I taught her all the vampire things she needed to know, the funny thing was she caught on to the a lot faster then me. And she seemed to enjoy sucking blood from live victims for fun then just for food.  
  
Then two years later, lord Kain declared war against the humans. And my true career as a vampire came to being. 


End file.
